Frequently Asked Questions About Infertility
We Have the Answers
How common is it to have infertility issues?
About 10% of US women between the ages of 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. That equates to 6.1 million US women making infertility issues a common occurrence.
Are there factors that increase risk of infertility?
Yes, for both men and women.
Women's factors include:
- Age
- Smoking
- Excess alcohol use
- Stress
- Poor diet
- Athletic training
- Being overweight or underweight
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Health problems that cause hormonal changes, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer
Male factors include:
- Heavy alcohol use
- Drugs
- Smoking
- Age
- Environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead
- Health problems such as mumps, serious conditions like kidney disease, or hormone problems
- Medicines
- Radiation treatment and chemotherapy for cancer
- Varicocele
What causes infertility in women?
Most cases of female infertility are caused by problems with ovulation. Without ovulation, there are no eggs to be fertilized. Some signs that a woman is not ovulating normally include irregular or absent menstrual periods.
Ovulation problems are often caused by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a hormone imbalance problem which can interfere with normal ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
Other causes of fertility problems in women include:
- Blocked fallopian tubes due to pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, or surgery for an ectopic pregnancy
- Physical problems with the uterus
- Uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors of muscle tissue within the walls of the uterus
How long should women try to get pregnant before seeing a specialist?
Most experts suggest at least one year for women under 35. Women aged 35 years or older should see their doctors after six months of trying. A woman's chances of having a baby decrease rapidly every year after the age of 35.
Some health problems also increase the risk of infertility:
- Irregular periods or no menstrual periods
- Very painful periods
- Endometriosis
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- More than one miscarriage
